The Best Gift: Love

I had a major scare this month with one of the loves of my life, my pup, Yoda.  She is a sensitive girl with quite a few unknown allergies, as I learned each time the hard way.

I dropped her off at her veterinarian for a routine teeth cleaning, a first time for my nine-year old Snorkie (schnauzer-yorkie) breed.  I was worried about putting her under anesthesia for a painless deep clean, but her vet and groomer assured me she’d be fine, and she needed it to keep her teeth into old age.  She loves food, so I considered her future.  For the procedure I couldn’t feed her in the morning, so I planned on picking her up late afternoon with a junior burger.

Upon arriving she gave me concern looks, Why am I here getting poked and prodded while I’m hungry?

The doctor said he’d call after the procedure to let me know how she’s doing.

I got the call early afternoon.  “She’s stable,” he said in a shaky,  stressful tone.

He then explained that she made it through the cleaning and woke up with a cough, so he gave her penicillin and she went into anaphylactic shock. She needed three epi pens to come around, an iv, and she’s now on oxygen.

I paced as tears flowed down my cheeks.

He continued.  “I want to keep her on oxygen, and monitor her closely.  She will need to go to a 24 hour care facility around 5:00.  I’ll call and let you know in a few hours.”

“I want to see her before she goes into intensive care,” I managed to say without a sob.

“Yes, I’ll need you to pick her up for the transfer.”

After hanging up I paced some more, made a few phone calls to those who could listen and just floated around not knowing what to do.  There was nothing I could do but hope for the best outcome, her survival.  I was at home waiting for the air-conditioning repairman to finish his work.

He looked at me with concern. “Is everything okay?”

“No, my dog.”  I sobbed.   “Hospital.”

He was compassionate and showed it, although his English was limited he understood and kept saying “sorry.”  I’m sure it’s hard for a stranger to watch a woman cry, but he was gracious and fixed my AC.

I lingered and wandered around the house, and then my office building around the corner until I got the phone call to transfer her to ER.

When I arrived to pick her up, the vet emerged holding Yoda perched in his arms.  It looked like they both went to hell and back.  He gave me the address and let me know they are expecting her and fully aware of the situation.

What should have been a 10 minute drive turned into a harrowing half hour.  My right hand was on her tummy making sure she breathed.  We sat in holiday traffic as I had to remember to stay calm despite her struggle for steady breath.  She flashed me, What the hell looks.”  I glanced back with love, although my nerves and mind seemed uncertain and scared.

“We got this,” I whispered to her.  “Hang in there punky.”

The facility and staff were welcoming and amazing.  She’d be in the best care, level one, which is like intensive care with constant checking in on her well being.  If necessary, they’d notify me with updates and I could call anytime to check on her.

I called in the evening.  They told me she’s fine but still on oxygen, and she’d been through a lot.  My heart dropped and worried.  She had to pull through because she loves life and is loved dearly by many.

In the evening I learned from my groomer friend that she had more machines on her than her body size.  The scene was pretty chaotic and tense from what she said.  They were determined to keep her alive, and I’d be forever thankful.

It was a difficult night for both of us.  With my husband out-of-town and dog in the hospital I watched a feel good movie.  Throughout the night, I sent good vibes to both of them, and the universe knowing she had to pull through.  Our time together was not over, not yet.  We have too much love to share, and lessons to teach each other.

The next day I picked her up, bought her that Wendy’s hamburger, fed her meds she spit out and just enjoyed each others company.  I got the evil eye, followed by looks of unconditional love.  That to me is the best present I could have.

 

 

My Love, my first and forever dog.

 

 

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Guest blogger Paige Johnson shares her guide to staying healthy over the holidays.  As a single parent it’s a priority for her, but we can all follow her advice.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash by Mel Turner

“I need to take better care of myself.” Be honest,  how many times have you had the exact same thought? This time of year means balancing your parental responsibilities with budgeting money for gifts and time for shopping. In addition, you probably have commitments with your family, friends and co-workers at various holiday events.

It’s no wonder why so many people become overwhelmed or even tempted to overindulge around the holidays. How can you stay healthy while still enjoying your holiday season? Luckily, it’s possible to find the time, energy, and money to stay healthy and in shape throughout the holidays.

Here’s what to do – and not do…

What to do:

Meal Prep

Preparing your meals ahead of time can help you avoid temptation so you can stay on the healthy track. Pick a specific day and time (such as a Sunday evening) when you know that you’ll be at home and will have time to devote to meal preparation. This is a great strategy for avoiding overeating at holiday parties. Of course, it can certainly be something you do each week in order to stay on track.

Combat Food Cravings

Of course, if you’re too busy to prep your meals, there are still plenty of ways you can be more mindful of your holiday eating habits. To avoid slipping into unhealthy food and beverage choices this holiday, Harvard’s School of Public Health recommends avoiding salt and sugar, especially in processed foods.

When food cravings kick in, especially if you’re an emotional eater, try replacing candy with fruits and try replacing salty foods with low-sodium options like unsalted nuts. If you’re stressed, try going for a walk or doing some mindful breathing rather than reaching for food to calm your nerves.

Practice Self-Care

Recent studies have linked stress eating, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and mood changes to weight gain during the holiday season. In each of these situations, proper self-care can help you resist the urge to overeat. As mentioned above, mindful activities such as breath work, meditation, a walk in nature, or doing yoga can all help you care for yourself, in turn reducing stress without adding extra calories, salt, or sugar.

Schedule Workouts

Block off a time slot on your busy schedule for exercise and fitness – and don’t allow yourself to schedule any other appointments during this time. For instance, you might work out first thing in the morning while your little ones are still asleep – or during the afternoon while they are still at daycare. Having trouble staying motivated? Find a workout buddy or partner with a co-worker (preferably another parent) for a monthly weight loss challenge.

What to avoid:

Drugs and Alcohol

It can be difficult to resist temptations during the holidays. Many people feel stressed and triggered during this time of year. It doesn’t help that alcohol plays a prominent role in so many holiday parties.  Enjoy in moderation, unless you’re in a recovery program.  In that case,  continue to stay focused and remain on track, including attending AA meetings, throughout the holidays. If you feel triggered, soothe yourself using coping methods such as yoga, meditation, taking a hot bath, or even spending some time in nature (weather permitting). These proven methods will help you resist cravings and overcome triggers so you can have a safe, healthy and sober holiday.

Food FOMO

As strength coach, Molly Galbraith, says, “Eating past full is not fun.” Although it can be tempting to feast upon all of the delicious seasonal or holiday-themed foods and beverages that you can only consume this time of the year, avoid overeating. Instead of getting caught in the trap of food FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), try to limit yourself. Eat slowly so you can savor each bite.

Your health should be a priority year-round. By following the advice listed above, we can all make healthier choices this holiday season – and every day of the year.

For more fitness and healthy lifestyle tips from Paige Johnson check out her website at: learnfit.org  

christmas is near

Ahh. It’s that time of year again for holiday cheer and fun.  Parties, presents, the smell of pine in the home, eggnog, shopping and expressing our love for those whom touch our lives throughout the year. 

In my youth the Christmas buzz began for me on St. Nicolas day, December 6th.  My siblings and I would eagerly awake to a stocking filled with candy.  A tradition  I let go wayside, but my brother still continues.  Every December 6th, his wife fills his stocking with goodies.  Nowadays, more gift cards than candy but his boyish excitement still lingers.  Jealous I am.  So what is St. Nick’s day, and who is St. Nick?

It’s largely a Catholic holiday and gives tribute to Nicholas of Myra (now in Turkey), a Greek saint that was the patron saint of Russia.  But I’m not Greek or Russian, so why did my family celebrate this holiday?  According to Wikipedia,  the tradition of Saint Nicholas Day, is a festival for children in many countries in Europe related to the surviving legends of the saint. More specifically his reputation as a bringer of gifts.  He is also the patron saint of seafarers. The American Santa Claus, as well as the Anglo-Canadian and British Father Christmas, derive from these legends.  Dutch Immigrants are largely responsible for bringing the tale and image of St. Nickolas, Sinter Klaas in Dutch, to New York.  In 1823, one notable Dutch-American, Clement Clarke Moore, furthered the image of St. Nick  in his poem “The Night Before Christmas.”  Sinter Klaas now had an elf like appearance, named reindeer, jolly laughs, and delivered gifts through the chimney.

So is St. Nick the pre-Santa Claus, the Father Christmas, good old Kris Kringle ?  And how did the image of the jolly old Santa come to be?  While Saint Nicholas is portrayed as thin man wearing bishop’s robes, today Santa Claus is generally depicted as a plump, white- bearded man wearing a red coat with a white-collar and cuffs, red trousers, a black  belt and boots. This image became popular in the United States and Canada in the 19th century due to the influence of caricaturist  Thomas Nast.  During the Civil War, Nast, a political cartoonist, drew Santa Claus for Harper’s Weekly.  Santa was shown as a small elf-like figure who supported the Union. Nast continued to draw Santa for 30 years and along the way changed the color of his coat from tan to red with white trim, from his interpretation of St. Nick.  Coca-Cola picked up on these drawings and adopted the jolly old Santa for its advertising in the 1930’s.  “Thirst Knows No Season,”  Coke claimed and the image of Santa was set.  Humm.  The modern Santa is an advertising ploy?

Another marketing addition to our Christmas iconography was the invention of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer by Robert May of the Montgomery Ward Company.  He created a poem about Rudolph and handed it out to all the company’s customers.  Prior to 1939 there were only eight reindeer.

Of course Santa can’t live at the North Pole alone, he needed a compassionate partner.  Mrs. Claus doesn’t have roots in European folklore, she was originally the creation of American authors.    A  poem called “Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride” written by Katharine Lee Bates popularized the image of Mrs. Claus.

December 6th flew by this year as in last, but next year I’ll make a point to put a little something in my family’s Christmas stockings to signal the beginning of the season.

Have a happy healthy Christmas, and always a safe one.  I’ll blog again after the holidays.